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111 of 121 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A series you just have to bite into..., August 18, 2009
I have been a major Sookie Stackhouse fan for years. I began reading Charlaine Harris's series, then called the Southern Vampire Mysteries, since before book four came out, and have read them all in order. I was puzzled when I found out that HBO was going to make a TV adaptation of it. Why this particular series? Why not Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake series? (It would have been suitable, what with all of the sex and all.) There were others as well, like Kelley Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld and MaryJanice Davidson's Queen Betsy series -- all of which have the erotic tones that HBO would have loved. So why this book series? Now I know why, but more on that later.
I very much enjoyed season one. It was very faithful to Dead Until Dark, except that small characters like Tara and Lafayette were expanded, and you get everyone's point of view, not just Sookie's. Also, Bill has more depth here, and you see things from his point of view, and you understand him better. Other storylines were added, like the emphasis on "V" addiction, which makes sense. Season two has taken things to a whole other level and I love it so far. I can't wait for the blu-ray release! From the very beginning, the show has very sexually explicit scenes, most of which centered on Jason's exploits, and some violence as well, with a great deal of emphasis to vampire hatred as the new form of southern racism/segregation. Season two takes things further, with gore and horror replacing the sex (there's still plenty of it though), and the fledging out of characters like Eric, Tara and Lafayette (whose death does not happen in the TV series). MaryAnn is the mysterious creature that makes a brief appearance in Living Dead in Dallas, but is expanded on the TV version to the point that she almost takes over the entire show. Jessica, Bill's "daughter," puzzled me at first. What's the purpose to this character? But I like her now, especially after Hoyt becomes her love interest. And I love the emphasis on vampire makers, like Lorena and Godric, the latter of whom moved me almost to tears in the last episode that he's in (plus, the actor who plays him is totally hot). I don't want to ruin it for people who don't have HBO and have to wait for the DVD or blu-ray release, but, in spite of the departures from the books, it's better than season one.
The actors are great. Ann Paquin has grown on me as Sookie, British hottie Stephen Moyer is wonderful as Bill, and I finally like Alexander Skarsgard as everyone's favorite vampire bad boy Eric. I am also enjoying Sam Trammel (Sam Merlotte), Rutina Wesley (Tara), Nelsan Ellis (Lafayette), Michelle Forbes (MaryAnn Forester) and Ryan Kwatten (Jason Stackhouse). I am also enjoying the actors who play Andy Belleflour and Hoyt for the comic relief they supply. (Andy is hilarious as the drunken out-of-work cop who witnesses the orgies and general odd behavior and no one believes him.) All in all, if you're a big fan of the books, then you won't want to miss this show. No boring moments throughout the hour-long series. I cannot wait for season three and season two is not even over yet! And I see why HBO decided to adapt this particular book series. They must've seen the potential for character development and the southern setting on the small screen. Great job!
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26 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
'Saint Bill' vs 'Book Bill', September 27, 2009
I started reading this series when book 1 just came out. What can I say, I like vampire books. I really liked Season 1 on HBO. The deviation the show took that bothers me is that Bill killed Longshadow, not Eric, because that could really become problematic later on.
Bill seems to be becoming one dimensional on HBO, he is nearing sainthood. Why would Sookie ever dump him, or date any of the many people she later dates in the books if he is a saint???
In the books, you eventually see that Bill really has less human feelings/emotions than Eric and other love interests of Sookie. 'Book Bill' is too self-absorbed to even notice Sookie's problems a total change from HBO's 'Saint Bill'.
When Eric got to save Sookie in Book 1 she warmed up to him, which gives an opening for a romantic change for Sookie----makes sense, especially when your "love (Bill)" just stands there and is ready to let you die. Also, when someone you love just keeps lying and keeping secrets, like 'Book Bill' you eventually say (even if you love them) enough is enough time to move on--and GEE maybe he is not 'the one'.
The way the HBO series is unfolding if Sookie leaves Bill and goes to Eric or anyone else she might just seem like a [...]_itch. If she just stays w/ Bill the whole series, then it will probably get boring---or completely deviate from the books storylines, as most of the story lines have a connection to Sookie's love interests at the time. Either way making Bill a saint, in the long run, will not help the series.
The subplots are fine---but it would be nice for them to stay SUBPLOTS and not overpower the show like this season.
Long and Short---- Yes, I have preordered season 2--would have preferred less subplots and less of 'Saint Bill'. One of the best books in the series (and one that has an impact on the rest of the book series) is coming up. It involves Eric losing his memory. I just hope that HBO can get over the total 'Saint Bill' thing before that books plot line is covered, and follow a great story from a great writer, so that the rest of the main plot lines from the books can be used.
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32 of 40 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Love this show but Love the books More, July 30, 2009
I have always gravitated toward books, movies, and TV shows about the occult so it was a given that I would watch True Blood. I am disappointed in parts that I feel stray too far from the books (I know the actors at Comic Con disagreed but the books are so incredibly good that I don't think they can be improved on.) especially in season one when they let Bill save Sookie by killing Long Shadow when in fact Eric saved her and Eric killed Long Shadow. I could not understand how it made the story better by making that change. As to the comment that the actor playing Eric is not as handsome as the book Eric I firmly disagree. He is even more handsome than I pictured, mainly because he is so beautifully tall and the way he plays his part I almost feel if there were such a thing as vampries he would be one. My only hope is as the series progresses they do play up the Eric character more as he is a much more prominent character in the books than Bill and 100 time more interesting.
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